“There will be huge fluctuations if your numbers are smaller to begin with,” explained Relucio. “What happens is that there might be a discharge – someone going to a regular floor (of the hospital), or a death.”
California is experiencing a statewide rise, Relucio said, adding that several regions within the state have sometimes stayed at 0% ICU capacity for days on end, even extending into weeks-long streaks. The Bay Area region reported an ICU capacity of 3% on Friday, the lowest to date.
“I’m not surprised, given the number of cases we’ve had,” Relucio said. “In December, we had 2,500 cases – 1,200 the month before. So it’s more than doubled. “
On Friday, Queen of the Valley Medical Center officially restored its tented respiratory triage area, Herold said, where individuals with severe COVID-19 symptoms can be assessed and potentially transferred to hospital. The hospital had previously built a triage area amid locks in the early spring, but it was then demolished after limited use. The triage zone is essentially an extension of a waiting area, Herold explains. No patients receive long-term care in the tent.
According to Relucio, the province was bracing for additional cases and hospital admissions resulting from holiday gatherings.
This latest spike has occurred even as Napa’s coronavirus testing structure seemed to be working in fits and starts in recent weeks; Residents reported waiting times of two to three hours in the last week of the year, the registry previously reported, after OptumServe, a new testing provider, took over operations.